Organized criminal group exposed in Armenia, says NSS
Armenia’s National Security Service says its forces have “neutralized” an organized criminal group in Yerevan that allegedly planned to carry out a number of heavy crimes across the country. The NSS says that in 2015, Artur Vardanyan, a former Yerevan resident now living abroad, arrived in Armenia where he set up and headed a criminal band. According to preliminary agreement, the organized group illegally acquired a large quantity of arms and ammunition that was later found hidden in a house in Yerevan’s Nork district rented for that purpose. During a joint search conducted on Nov. 25 jointly with the Police, the NSS found different types of automatic machine guns, revolvers, grenade-launchers (including Mukha type grenade launchers), grenades, explosives and explosive devices, bullets and cartridges, as well as communications equipment. All the nine members of the band headed by Artur Vardanyan were in the house at the moment of the search. There were all arrested. A criminal case has been initiated under Article 223 (Parts 1 and 2) of the Armenian Criminal Code and under Article 235 (Part 3) of the Criminal Code. Investigation is under way. The NSS says it will provide further information.
